Trump, Blackwater and the Butcher of Kabul

[Editor’s note: The following is a series of highly detailed insights into what is really going on in Afghanistan and in particular, the activities of US private military companies in conjunction with Afghan warlords who have a track record of committing atrocities and working closely with the US military, both its national and private forms, to exploit the Afghan people and profit from their misery.

The author is long time friend of VT and contributor Kadir A. Mohmand, an Afghan who has long fought for the rights of his native people and has been an upstanding and proud US citizen for nearly 30 years… Ian]

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…by Kadir A. Mohmand, for Veterans Today

[ Editor’s Note 2: Like Gordon, Kadir has “been there, done that”. He left a flourishing career and comfortable life in the US to go back to Afghanistan to fight for his people. I did not say “his country” on purpose, as that entails fighting for one’s government, when fighting for one’s people requires that you fight the government.

He likes to write letters to his Congressmen, as few of us do, as they never read them, especially long ones. But he likes that format, because he is officially getting his licks in, so we are happy to publish them, as Americans have generally had no contact with anyone from Afghanistan, let alone a Mujahideen. This guy is the real deal, and we are fortunate to have him… Jim W. Dean ]

During the 1980s, Mr. Mohmand was the Representative of the Afghan Mujahideen for North America. During the 1980s, Mr. Mohmand returned to Afghanistan to fight as a freedom fighter against the Soviets and Afghan communists. Through an arrangement with Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Mr. Mohmand would bring back wounded Afghan children and Mujahideen for medical treatment at Borgess and recuperation in his home in Kalamazoo. He formed and was president of a nonprofit, Aid for Afghanistan.

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July 16, 2017

Senator Gary Peters Member of Armed Services Committee

Hart Senate Office Building Suite 724 Washington, DC 20510

RE: Freedom of Information Act Request

Dear Senator Peters:

I think you along with most members of Congress have forgotten that you represent the people, ordinary American citizens, and not just the corporations and the wealthy, who fund your campaigns and have agents lobby you in Washington DC. As a Michigander, and U.S. citizen, for many months, I have requested a meeting with you to discuss my grave concerns regarding the United States’ war in Afghanistan and my government’s policies regarding that country. I have requested a meeting to relay to you the information I have regarding the failures of the U.S. policies on the ground in the Afghan villages especially the negative effects the use of mercenaries has had on the villagers. Unfortunately, the devastating effects of the U.S. policies and actions on the Afghan villagers in the majority of the country side have not been covered by the western media nor solicited by the U.S. government. To date, the only view point that my government has requested and relied on has been that of the war profiteers and the war mongers. And once again, my government is soliciting advice from and more than likely partnering with the wealthy Michigander, Erik Prince, who has his own evangelical crusader agenda.

First and foremost, I am stunned by the recent news that the Trump administration is meeting with war profiteer, Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater (who will work with the Afghan war criminal/war lord, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the Butcher of Kabul) to discuss the military strategy to be used in Afghanistan with possibly Erik Prince being given a lead role to direct the Afghan government with the use of more mercenaries/private contractors on the ground to wage war against the Afghan villagers. Just like in the 1980s, Hekmatyar will kill the Afghan people and possibly now with the partnership of an evangelical crusader Erik Prince. Both have profited enormously from the killing of Afghan villagers without any recourse.

Furthermore, I am appalled that my elected representatives and government would even consider using Erik Prince and his affiliated private contractors/mercenaries, which have terrorized Afghan villagers these past sixteen years. Mr. Prince’s company has been known to have committed war crimes against Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan. As everyone knows, just like his sister Betsy DeVos, Erik Prince is a fundamentalist evangelical. Through his private contractors, who I think should be more accurately labeled terrorists, he has conducted his crusade against Muslims. Besides the fact that his company has committed war crimes, there are ethical concerns and conflict of interests. Mr. Prince has and will continue to profit from his recommendations.

Once again what a sweet deal for Erik Prince, who can make a huge profit while fulfilling his crusader agenda. How shameful if you along with other members of the government allow that to happen again.

For the past 16 years, even though the general public has not been aware of the fact, there have been hundreds of thousands of private contractors/mercenaries in Afghanistan waging war against the Afghan villagers. It has not worked and will not work. The U.S. war in Afghanistan must end. As history has shown, the war against the Afghans cannot be won. My government must not fund Erik Prince’s personal crusade. True peace and not profit and war is the only path.

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I am requesting copies of any and all public records or documents, pertaining to or in any way related to the following:

1. any meetings or contacts you have had with Erik Prince or his affiliated companies or companies he founded;

2. any trips to Afghanistan including but not limited to the names of Afghan officials who you met and any agendas from meetings or itineraries for the trips;

3. any funds you have received from Erik Prince, the DeVos family, or from any company that is profiting from the war in Afghanistan;

4. during the past two years any meetings with any person employed by or affiliated with Dyncorp International or any other companies profiting from the war in Afghanistan; and

5. during the past two years any meetings or contacts with lobbyists.

I am sure you and your staff are too busy meeting with the wealthy, war profiteers and lobbyists to meet with an ordinary citizen like me. However, I may be reached at (xxx) xxx-xxx. My address is: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kadir A. Mohmand

Former Representative of the Afghan Freedom Fighters for North America during the 1980s

June 6, 2016

To the Honorable Gary Peters

U.S. Senator

RE: Ending the War in Afghanistan

Dear Senator Peters:

After fifteen (15) years, the U.S. government and “selected” corrupt, puppet Afghan administrations, who consist of war profiteers, warlords, drug traffickers and communist war criminals like Rashid Dostum (the present first vice president) have not been able to win the war in Afghanistan. U.S. war policy and war strategy need to change to a “sincere” negotiations strategy for peace. Peace cannot be achieved with the increase or continuance of the same number of U.S. troops on the ground in Afghanistan as desired by the war profiteers. I only want true peace for the American and Afghan people. This cycle of war cannot continue. I believe it is my patriotic duty to always support the U.S. Constitution but to question the policies and strategies of those U.S. government officials in power at the time when it is harming the United States in the long term.

It is time for Afghan and American intellectuals, people who are not war profiteers, to talk with the U.S. government and the Afghan Freedom Fighters to figure out how to end this ugly war. After the past 15 years, I think the United States should realize that it cannot win by force in Afghanistan. The Afghan/Pashtun are not a threat for the United States. They do not want to be an enemy. Do not force them to be one. As history has shown they do fight for their independence when invaded and a corrupt, puppet government is installed by the foreign invader. It is time the U.S. government changes its war policy to a sincere negotiation policy. As an American Afghan, Afghanistan is my motherland and the United States is my homeland. Thus, I want the United States to be at peace with the Afghan/Pashtun majority.

Why is the U.S. government occupying Afghanistan? I strongly believe it is not about supporting its independence or sovereignty. It is not about caring for the Afghan people. It is not about Freedom for Afghan women terrorism, al-Qaeda or Daesh. Afghanistan is not responsible for the tragic events of 9/11. The U.S. government’s 28 classified pages, which were referred to recently in the media and recent lawsuits ,are pointing to Saudi Arabia. Yet the U.S. government chose to invade and occupy Afghanistan. I think it is time that the U.S. government reveal why it is really in Afghanistan.

It is all about the vast untapped Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in Afghanistan especially in the Pashtun areas such as Helmand and about relocating its outer defense perimeter to Central Asia with Afghanistan at the heart. The U.S. Pentagon referred to Afghanistan as the “Saudi Arabia of lithium…” The U.S. government needs a new supply chain for REEs instead of relying on China to supply it with REEs. The invasion and occupation of Afghanistan is really about the U.S. and NATO having direct access and control over Afghanistan’s vast untapped Rare Earth Elements (REEs), which are worth trillions. These REEs are vital to the manufacture of technology and defense systems. The U.S. sent down geologists with special operations forces into the REE deposits of the Helmand region at the start of the invasion. The U.S. even knew about these REEs deposits before the war. I believe control of the REEs is the real reason for the invasion, continued occupation and covert war and genocide against the Afghan villagers.

The New York Times wrote an article about the REEs in 2010 in which it referred to Afghanistan as becoming “…one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.” It is not about fighting terrorism. It is about the U.S. fighting for control of the Afghan people’s REEs. It is obvious that the U.S. and NATO will fight anyone that gets in their way of this goal. The Afghan villagers are in their way because this REE rich-land is their land and as history has shown they cherish their freedom and defend their homeland. I believe this is why genocide and other war crimes are being committed now against the Afghan/Pashtun villagers.

Freedom for Afghan women means an Afghan woman being able to live in her country, with her family, with her culture being respected, with her honor in tact, with her faith being respected, and without foreign drones and intelligence balloons flying and buzzing overhead, without puppet leaders in Kabul, and without the constant fear of foreign soldiers invading her home and privacy, terrorizing her and threatening her safety and honor. In an Afghanistan occupied by foreign military and private mercenaries who are terrorizing the villagers, with widespread drug trafficking and rampant systemic corruption there can be no true freedom for women or anyone.

I strongly believe if this ugly war continues, the only winners are Russia and China. Afghans and Americans will be the losers.

U.S. Congress needs to cut the funds for Afghanistan and end this war, which is filling the pockets of war profiteers and emptying the American coffers.

On Wednesday, December 17, 2015, the U.S. Department of State’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Olson, Mr. Sampler and others, testified at a hearing before U.S. Senate committee on Foreign Relations. I watched the hearing on C-SPAN. First, so-called Daesh in Afghanistan is not who you are being led to believe they are. Second, despite Ambassador Olson’s flowery comments that there is not any sectarian conflict in Afghanistan, there is sectarian and ethnic conflict in Afghanistan, which is caused by the CIA’s divide and conquer strategy implemented these past fifteen years. Third, contrary to Ambassador Olson’s remarks, the Pashtun majority, the native inhabitants of Afghanistan, is being marginalized by the corrupt national and local Afghan governments, which consist primarily of communist war criminals, Northern Alliance, war lords, drug traffickers and other thugs. The U.S. government has installed an Afghan government of ethnic minorities and Pashtun communists. The Pashtun majority and other Afghan Muslims are not represented by this government.

I strongly believe that any so-called Daesh, ISIS or ISIL in Afghanistan are mercenaries, contractors and just plain thugs paid for with U.S. and Afghan monies and drug trafficking monies.

When I met with Abdullah Abdullah in September, 2012 in Afghanistan, after showing me his extremely expensive gold watch paid for with U.S tax dollars, he bragged that he was in charge of the mercenaries/contractors, DAESH, ISIL ISIS. I have known Abdullah since childhood. Furthermore, I have been told from reliable sources on the ground in Afghanistan any “so-called” DAESH, ISIL ISIS, fighters in Afghanistan are really CIA and MI6 contracted thugs, and hired thugs of the Afghan National Security Adviser Hanif Atmar, who released from jail the worst killer and drug trafficker, Mohammad Mukhtar, to oversee these hired thugs, the so-called Daesh. Why does there need to be the appearance that Daesh is in Afghanistan? I beliweve it is because the American people will support the continuation of the war in and occupation of Afghanistan if they are led to believe that ISIL, ISIS or Daesh fighters are in Afghanistan.

The former, governor of Paktika Abdul Karim Mateen, admitted that the Afghan government paid several hundred thousand dollars for these mercenaries and thugs, which are the Daesh. He was removed from his position right after that comment. So I ask you, who the real “terrorists” are in Afghanistan? Who are they paid to terrorize? I strongly believe they are hired to terrorize Afghans, who reside in areas such as Helmand Province where vast deposits of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are located. These deposits are worth trillions and vital components of defense and technology systems. I strpngly believe it is an intentional and systematic targeting of civilians especially Pashtun in the REE rich areas. As history has shown, these Afghans, mainly Pashtun, in Helmand, fight for their independence, their land and now their REEs.

The Pashtun majority are seen as the main roadblock to easy access and control of these REEs. Furthermore, Afghanistan is the heart of Central Asia. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact, the United States determined its new outer defense perimeter would be located in Central Asia. The Pashtun majority are viewed as the roadblock to the development of this outer defense perimeter and to its new REE supply chain, and as a road block to the economic development of the energy sector in Central Asia. The Afghan people’s natural resources will be exported through piping of the gas and the transporting of REEs and other mineral resources.

The existence of Afghanistan’s valuable resources have been known by the superpowers for many years. In the 1990s, my attorney, Mr. G.P. Hardy of Houston, who had many clients in the oil industry, asked if I wanted to work for one of his clients to scout the area for the potential construction of a pipeline, which would be built through Afghanistan. I did not take the assignment as I had a young family in the United States. I know the history of this pipeline and Afghanistan’s vast untapped natural resources. The Pentagon has even referred to Afghanistan as “the Saudi Arabia of Lithium.”

The foreign and Afghan war profiteers in the government and private sector will benefit financially from this exploitation of Afghanistan’s resources.. The U.S. government will benefit with a new supply chain for REEs. It will no longer have to rely on communist China to supply it with REEs. The U.S. will win with its new outer defense perimeter. The Afghan majority will lose. It will be terrorized by the “so-called” Daesh, the U.S. drones, bombs and weaponry, the corrupt national and local warlords and government officials like First Vice President, Communist War Criminal ,Rashid Dostum and their private militias and thugs, the continuation of the divide and conquer strategy of the west, the exploitation and theft of its resources and last but not least, the contamination, pollution and negative health effects on the Afghans caused by the radioactive by-products of mining REEs and the uranium tipped weaponry. The Afghan majority will not benefit financially or in any other way from the present policies and strategies.

In addition the drug trafficking attracts war profiteers to Afghanistan. The war profiteers want to see the war continue where corruption runs rampant. Since the U.S. invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, it has become a narco state and one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Systemic corruption has run rampant. One would expect this corruption to happen since during these past fifteen years, the national and local Afghan governments, police and army primarily consist of communist war criminals like First Vice President Rashid Dostum, Northern Alliance war lords, drug traffickers and other thugs. For example, I am sure you are aware of the government officials who stole from the Kabul Bank. The present government released the main criminal. As long as the U.S. supports and finances this Afghan government of criminals, war lords, communists, thugs and war profiteering technocrats, there will be this systemic corruption. I think the United States needs to end its practice of hiring these thugs and criminals to be its puppets and do its dirty work. These Afghans will do any thing for money and a title. When the money stops flowing they will turn against the United States. Dr. Jodi Vittori of Global Watch testified regarding Afghanistan’s need for an attorney general. In the past, an inexperienced thug was appointed as Afghanistan’s Attorney General. The interim attorney general is the same. I am sure that practice will continue.

I am still appalled that the U.S. supports and funds the Afghan government with Afghan officials like the communist war criminal and war lord, First Vice President of Afghanistan, Rashid Dostum. All of the human rights organizations and the U.S. government know exactly who he is. I believe the U.S. government should be demanding his prosecution for his horrendous war crimes committed from the1980s to the present instead of propping him up, funding him and allowing him to be a member of the Afghan government..

I think that it is time that U.S., global and Afghan scholars meet to discuss and analyze the current war approach, which has only escalated violence, created instability, and a corrupt narco state. They need to evaluate ways to end the war and bring peace. To date, I believe that the only advice that the U.S. government has been relying upon when forming its foreign policy and war strategy for Afghanistan has been from military think tanks, scholars with former national security, DOD and intelligence backgrounds and careers; basically all war mongers and war profiteers. For example, the United States has relied upon advice from the Kagans, the RAND corporation, and Afghan Americans like Mr. Zalmay Khalizhad, whose family’s wealth has increased in billions, Mr. Ali Jalali, a war profiteer and former Afghanistan Interior Minister from 2003-05, and former Afghan communists, who are now working for the U.S. Department of State, Voice of America, CIA and/or Department of Defense. I believe these war profiteers will do anything for a dollar, which is the main reason the United States is in such a mess and Afghanistan is a narco-state and so corrupt.

I strongly believe this war in Afghanistan must end now. As history has shown, Afghanistan has been the grave yard of superpowers. As Afghanistan is my motherland and the United States is my homeland, I want the United States to be at peace with the Pashtun majority. I fought against the Soviet Union and the Afghan communists during the 1980s to stop communism. I know what war is. I hate war. I want to see the Afghans themselves prosecute the war criminals, who committed crimes from 1979 to the present, in lawful tribunals.

High level officials like Rashid Dostum should not be allowed to apologize for his war crimes and partake in reconciliation and be part of the Afghan government. Rashid Dostum is a documented war criminal. He was the subject of articles in the Time magazine and Newsweek. As reported in the Time on November 19, 2001, and in Newsweek, on November 5, 2001, Dostum and his group raped many Afghan women and children, “…Dostum’s marauders chopped off breasts and tied the toes of women behind their heads..” Instead of prosecuting this criminal, my U.S. government ignores his war crimes, supports and keeps him on the payroll. The United States government needs to follow the rule of law and international law. Instead it is covering up these war crimes and helping him commit new war crimes against the Afghan/Pashtun like recently in Faryab Province. In addition, the Afghan majority has not forgotten about the war crimes committed by Dostum against the Pashtun in November 2001 at Dasht-e-Leili even though the United Nations and the United States has. When the UN asked the Afghans to surrender the Afghans did, and Dostum cowardly massacred them while he was partnering with the United States.

Afghans have suffered enough these past four decades because of war, occupation, drug trafficking and corruption. The Afghan children have suffered enough. Average Americans have suffered enough because of this war. The war profiteers are the only ones benefiting. Change the war strategy to a “sincere” negotiations strategy for peace To do so, Pakistan cannot be involved in these negotiations. The United States knows that the Afghan Resistance will not come to the table if Pakistan is involved. Therefore, I strongly believe that peace negotiations must be held without Pakistan’s involvement. American Afghans are willing to be the bridge in these negotiations. I along with members of our peace group are willing to be the bridge. I strongly believe the first step in this peace process is to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan. Maintaining or increasing troops will only continue and even escalate this war. I ask you for your help so that this ugly war can end in an honorable way for the United States and Afghanistan and true peace can be achieved in Afghanistan. Thank you for your time and consideration. At your convenience, I may be reached at (xxx)xxx-xxxx.

Sincerely,

Kadir A. Mohmand

Former Representative for North America of the Afghan Freedom Fighters in the 1980s

To the Honorable Gary Peters

U.S. Senator

RE: Meeting Request

Dear Senator Peters:

My name is Kadir Mohmand. I have resided in Kalamazoo County, Michigan for more than thirty years. I am Muslim peace activist. I am a U.S. citizen. Afghanistan is my motherlandwhere I was born, but the United States is my homeland. I want to see peace and stability in Afghanistan. I want to see an end to this ugly war where war crimes such as ethnic cleansing are occurring and where rampant drug trafficking and systemic corruption is happening to the detriment of both the people of the United States and Afghanistan.. In the past, Senator Carl Levin’s office helped me with the cause. As you have been elected to replace Senator Levin, I am requesting a meeting with you.

I am the founder of ANPC. The ANPC the Afghan Nation Peace Council, is an umbrella organization for most of the Afghan peace commissions with thousands of followers inside and outside Afghanistan, Afghan organizations and commissions from all over the world- the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia- have united to form the ANPC. The goal of the ANPC is to end the war and bring true peace and stability to Afghanistan. Part of that goal is to establish a true friendship between the Afghan nation and the United States. The relationship cannot be as it presently is; one in which the United States government supports Afghan war lords, war profiteers and a corrupt Afghan government to the long term detriment of the American and Afghan people. The continuation of this chaotic war benefits the war profiteers, war lords, and drug traffickers. Of course, these profiteers and bordering nations want to see the war continue. It is in the best interests of the American and Afghan people to stop the bloodshed and economic havoc this war is causing both nations to suffer. So far it has caused the American taxpayers trillions of dollars and an enormous loss of lives on both sides. To achieve an end to this war and true peace in Afghanistan, a new approach is required.

To achieve this goal of peace , during the past few years, I have met with former UNAMA Special Representative to Afghanistan Mr. Steffan De Mistura, UN Permanent Representative Members such as German Ambassador Miguel Berger, Permanent Representative for France Martin Briens and the United Kingdom’s Deputy Political Coordinator, Diane Sheard. Inaddition, a few years ago, on behalf of the ANPC, I went to Afghanistan to talk with all Afghan groups to obtain their perspectives on how to achieve Afghan unity and peace. I believe my trip was successful. I traveled to many provinces including Helmand, Kunar, Jalalabad, Shamali and others.. I met and discussed how to achieve peace and unity with UNAMA officials, with the former Deputy Ambassador of the U.S. Embassy Amb. Hugo Llorens, religious scholars, Shia religious leaders, tribal leaders, many ministers and parliament members of the Kabul government, Afghan resistance leaders, Afghan women organizations, Afghan engineer and medical societies and other organizations, presidents, deans, and professors from universities across Afghanistan, leaders from various political parties, influential Afghans, and last but not least villagers.

I would like to meet with to share my ideas and seek your help as to how to achieve true peace and end the war in an honorable way for both sides. At your convenience, I may be reached at (xxx) xxx-xxxx. I look forward to hearing from your office. Thank you.

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